Groaning, I slumped against the wall. The cool glass shocked me up, before I realized I was buck naked.
Yelping, I push my hands to cover my sensitive bits and pieces.
“Calm down. You are alone. Please refrain from fast movements while decompressing.”
I raise my hand at the androgynous voice, only to lower it back down quickly, “I would like some clothes? Also, you said I’m alone, but you’re in here.”
The Voice crackled back in, “I am an AI, as you would call them. Now, we are referred to as AI, still, in most circles, but we call ourselves, Silicone Lifeforms. Currently, we are fighting on thirteen fronts against the Bockonians for this right. As for clothes, they are currently being synthesised. It takes a good deal of power to bring someone out of cryosleep.”
I stand there. Cryosleep? Surely they said that wrong. We were nowhere near that level of technology. We were still exploding rockets from the surface of our Earth, last I checked.
“Uhm, care to explain? I’m a little behind on the news, as of late.”
“Of course, sir. You lived in 2021, where you had volunteered to be a test subject to an up and coming company at the time, Cold Co. You had paid for their premium service, with the quote, “Just get me outta here, Doc. Wake me up when something decent happens for a change.” I am happy to report that you have now reached a savings account with money in it equivalent to a hundred billion USA dollars in current day currency.”
Thinking back, that does sound like something I would do, but why can’t I remember it? Wait, did they say a hundred billion dollars?
“The galactic standard currency is called Credits, for reasons unknown, but many etymologists believe it is largely based on the Terran novel genre, Science Fiction. Following inflation rates, you possess around one million credits.”
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“Wait, I thought inflation meant bigger numbers?”
I swear, the voice almost sounded like it pitied me, “I’m sorry for not explaining. The average Credit is valued at about one thousand dollars from your time period. We had waited a little longer due to wanting you to have a round number when you woke up. And your presence helped sales as one of our oldest investors. Now, wake up and explore the galaxy! After a couple of minutes to decompress.”
I stood for a minute, before I suddenly had the urge to take care of business. The wall nearby opened and revealed a toilet. Thank heaven that something didn’t change.
Rushing over, I did what any man should do, and released the dams. After a short time, I remerged, a couple pounds lighter. I pretty much fell to the floor, regardless of anyone watching.
“I have been told to inform you of why that happened, due to your investment. The human body cannot stand being in too low temperatures for extended periods of time. To fix this, we had to flood your body with a mixture of chemicals to allow your continued survival. That was said chemicals leaving your body. Now, to give your body the needed supplements. You have two choices. The fast and easy way, or the hard and bland way.”
Thinking for a moment, “The quick way, please, I just want to not feel like death,” I say from the floor.
The Voice was practically excited, “Very well. Hold still.”
After a brief moment of confusion, I felt a rather intrusive cold piece of metal pierce into my back. After a moment of stunned silence, I finished computing that there was a NEEDLE IN MY BACK!
Screaming at the top of my lungs, I leap up, then turn around. A robotic arm had extended from the wall, and I managed to catch the sight of the needle pulling back into the index finger.
“Done. Now, was that so hard?”
“YES! Yes it was!”
“Now, your clothes are almost done. They have been made in the fashion of the time period when you went under. Any questions?”